Device for supporting, carrying, and closing a container



w. v. DOYLE 2,910,208

DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING, CARRYING AND CLOSING A CONTAINER Oct. 27, 1959 Filed Aug. 9, 1954 g .InVL

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United States Patent DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING, CARRYING, AND CLOSING A CONTAINER William V. Doyle, Chesterton, Ind.

Application August 9,1954, Serial No. 448,565

2 Claims. (Cl. 220-39) 'hook, bracket, apertured plate, shelf, etc., so that the device has substantial universal applicability. The device is well adapted for supporting containers such as tooth paste tubes, bottles, boxes, etc., but is also adaptable for use with respect to other containers. It is particzsrazos Patented Oct. 27, 1959 ice glass holder and tooth brush holder, the device being usable in one of the apertures provided for the tooth brush. 1

As a modification of the split loop structure, its arms 0 surface along the finger. which it encircles, cranking ularly well adapted foruse in connection with flexible tubes such as tooth paste tubes and the like which are not able to stand vertically .and, therefore, the invention will be illustrated, for the most part, in connection with such tubes, although the use of the device is not limited thereto. 7

In the preferred form of the invention, the device comprises essentially a closure, or base, portion and a supporting portion, the latter being generally loop-shaped and connected with the closure portion. Preferably, the inside diameter of the loop-shaped portion corresponds to the diameter of the index finger for encircling the same. This provides several advantages. For example, the finger, when located in the loop-shaped portion, may be used as a lever aim to more readily remove the closure portion, such as the cap, from the tube or other container. Also, the closure-member may thereby be maintained on the finger while it is temporarily removed from the container, thereby preventing it from being dropped, misplaced or lost, as not infrequently happens with caps for containers. Also, the container itself may be conveniently carried by the finger, if desired, by means of the loop-shaped portion connected with the closure portion.

The preferred form of the device provides several hearing surfaces by which it andthe attached container may be supported from a fixed support.

The loop-shaped portion is selectively separable from the closure portion, and may be placed in encircling position around-the closure portion whereby the overall length of the device may be shortened as when it is packed within a container. The two portions may be readily assembled when the device isto be put to use.

In one form of the invention, the loop-shaped member is formed as a split loop and provides a generally C-shaped structure.

With the split loop form of the device it, together with the container to which it is secured, may be supported from a shelf such as a bathroom cabinet shelf and the location of the bearing surfaces of thesplit ends is such that the container and device will swing under the shelf in a hanging position. The device ofthis form may also advantageously be used in connection with apertured plates which frequently are provided in the form of a action by the finger will bev simplified and'injury to the finger which might otherwise result from a loop-shapedportion made of thin stock, will be prevented.

Other objects, uses and'advant ages of the invention will become apparent, or be obvious, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 comprises a side elevation view of one form of the device fora container shown in'fragment of the type-in which tooth paste is sold, the device being supported from a shelf;

Figure 2 shows the closure and supporting portions in their separable relation.

Turning first to Figure 1 of the drawing, there will be-seen a container indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, which container, for purposes of illustration,

comprises a flexible tube adapted to contain a liquid or semi-fluid substance, and a supporting, carrying and closing device indicated generally by the reference numeral 12. The device 12 comprises a closure portion, or base portion, 14 and what maybe called a supporting and carrying portion 16 which is in the form of a split loop and-is connected to'the base portion 14. The supporting andcarrying portion 16 provides an encircling part for encircling a finger, such as the index finger. The base portion 14 is internally threaded so that it forms a closure for the container 10 by being threaded onto the threaded neck, or outlet, 18 of the container.

The inside diameter of the split loop, or encircling part, corresponds to the diameter of a persons finger. It can be so formed as to accommodate the smaller fingers of an adult and larger fingers of a child, or the inside diameter may be formed of different sizes to accommodatedifferent sizes of fingers. Generally, however, a single pre-selected inside diameter will accommodate'substantially all users and, at most, it would presently appear that two pre-selected inside diameters would be sufficient, one to accommodate adults and another to accommodate children. By'inserting a finger through the split loop portion 16, the user is able to obtain good leverage so that the cap may be easily removed from the container. Furthermore, the supporting device 12, being light weight, can'be retained on the finger while the contents of the container are being removed and may then be quickly replaced; In this way the cap formed by the base portion 14 is never put down where it may roll away or be dropped or otherwise misplaced.

At the. same time, by providing a gap, such as the gap 20 between the upper arm 22 and the lower arm 24 of the split loop portion 16, it is possible to use the device to support the container from a fiat supporting sur-.

erally vertical position within a medicine cabinet or the like and thereby take up a minimum amount of space,

instead of taking up a large amount'of shelf space, as it usually does when it is put on its side on a shelf. Medicine cabinets generally provide a clearance between the door and the shelves. Since the container will swing inwardly and under the shelf and since the thickness of the split loop portion can easily be .made to fit within that clearance, the cabinet door will not strike either the container or the device 12.

The split loop portion may also support the container from an 'apertured bracket, or shelf of the type having apertures adapted to hold a tooth brush by its handle. The upper arm 22 of the split loop portion 16 conveniently passes over the edge of the shelf and intoan aperture thereof so that the supporting device and container are all supported from a bearing .surface 32. provided on the inner surface of the split loop portion of the supporting device.

The split loop portion 16 and closure, or base, portion 14 are preferably formed integrally of plastic material which is light-weight but strong. Also, the device 12 is not limited to use in connection with tubes such as the container 10. Where the outlet of a'container is larger than the neck 18 of the tube the closure portion 14 may be correspondingly enlarged. For convenience the split loop portion 16 is sometimes referred to as a C-shaped portion.

As a modification of the supporting device 12, the split loop portion 16 may be formed of resilient material such as a resilient plastic so that the arms 22 and 24 may, if desired, be spread apart to grip a thicker shelf between them instead of being supported solely by the bearing surface 27 at the free end of the arm 22. 1

As best seen in Figure 2 the device is made of two selectively separable portions comprising the closure portion 14 and the supporting and carrying portion 16. The closure portion 14, or cap, has a top surface 70 with a diametrically extending channel 72 therein. In the side wall 75 of the closure portion 14 there are vertically extending channels 74 which interconnect with channel 72 in the top of the cap. Channels 74 are recessed to provide retaining shoulders, or socket means 76 and into those sockets or recesses may fit the ends 80 of the arms 84 which constitute a downward extension of the flange 86 connected beneath the split loop portion 16 of the device. It will be seen that flange 86- interfits with the channel 72 in the top of the cap and that therarms 84 fit in the channels 74. This permits the container and cap to be shipped with the supporting and carrying portion 16 separate therefrom. The internal diameter of the split loop portion 16 preferably will be greater than the external diameter of the closure portion so that, in shipment, portion 16 may encircle the portion 14. In that manner, the carton for the tube may be made shorter, thereby conserving on the carton and also on shipping space. Figure 1 shows the portions 14 and 16 assembled and threaded onto the neck of the tube 10 while Figure 2 shows them separated.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred 4 embodiment of the invention and various modifications thereof, I do not intend to be limited to the illustrative forms, except insofar as the following claims are so limited, since various changes or modifications may be suggested to those skilled in the art by reason of my disclosure. I

I claim: 1. A closure cap having a threaded cylindrical part for connection with the threaded outlet portion of a container such as a bottle or tube, said cap having a diametrically extendingchannel in the top surface thereof and shoulder means associated with the outer wall of the cylindrical part adjacent the ends of said channel, a generally C-shaped cylindrical part of plastic material formed with a base to fit in said channel and having depending arms which engage under said shoulder means for detachably mounting said C-shaped cylindrical part on the top surface of said cap, saidC-shaped vpart being mounted on said cap with its axis substantially at right angles to said top surface and having an inner diameter approximating that of a persons finger, the inner surface of said C-shaped part by reason of its size and cylindrical shape and plastic composition of the part, permitting wide area snug fit with an individuals finger when inserted through said part in grasping the same and whereby torsion may be conveniently and comfortably applied in twisting the closure to loosen and tighten the same on the outlet portion of the container, said C-shaped part being further characterized in having a gap in one side thereof forming a pair of separated ends the upper one of which separated ends have a substantially planar bearing end surface which is ofiset from the axis of the cylindrical threaded part so as to serve as means which may be rested on a ledge to suspend the container attached to said cap therebeneath.

2. The closure cap of claim 1 wherein the inside diameter of the C-shaped part is slightly greater than the external diameter of the cylindrical part of the closure cap.

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